Sun Valley Education

The public school system serves 3,026 students, spending $7,629 per pupil with a Student / Teacher ratio of 20 to 1. Blaine County students rank in the 88th percentile nationally on the Iowa and Stanford Achievement Tests, studying under faculty recruited from all areas of the United States.

The public schools work with both gifted children and those with learning disabilities, offering access to computer labs and enrichment activities. Alpine and Nordic ski programs, recreational programs and traditional sports programs are offered.

Wood River High School offers both college preparatory and vocational training, as well as a distinguished scholar program. 75% of graduates go on to 4-year colleges with over 50% attending out-of-state schools.

Younger students are served by five schools in the county; Wood River Middle School, Hemingway Elementary School, Hailey Elementary School, The Carey School, and Bellevue Elementary. All offer innovative curriculum, and a genuine commitment to excellence in education.

The Blaine County School District is starting a one year pilot program aimed at providing enrichment for elementary age children during non school hours. It will operate under the name KIDSHOP, and will be an activity oriented child care program, whose mission will be to provide its students with a safe, pleasing environment and quality experiences.

A private preparatory school, The Community School, offers a diverse and challenging curriculum. In addition to a full academic schedule, every year each student grades 7-12 spends several weeks off the campus in Yellowstone National Park, Canyonlands National Park in Utah and other natural classrooms studying everything from literature to biology and geology. The Community School educates students in grades pre K-12 and its graduates currently attend Stanford, Middlebury, Whitman, Dartmouth, Williams, and schools of similar stature.

The Silver Creek Alternative School offers an innovative approach to high school education. For the past eight years it has given "at risk" teens the opportunity to build confidence and self-esteem in a unique educational environment as they work towards a high school diploma. The College of Southern Idaho, a comprehensive community college campused in Twin Falls with an outreach center in Hailey, educates the diverse residents and encourages them to lead full, effective lives in a changing world. The college offers courses leading to Associate of Arts degrees, computer, adult enrichment, languages, ESL, vocational, GED, and childrenšs classes. Counseling for careers, academic and business needs are also offered. All classes are small and highly individualized, CSI also works with businesses to set up custom employee training classes, which is aided by a microwave system that allows two-way interactive teaching between the home campus and the outreach center.

Bellevue, Hailey, and Ketchum all have public libraries. The Community Library in Ketchum is the areašs largest, with a 76,000 volume lending and reference collection. A member of the Interlibrary Loan System, it offers access to books from other national libraries, and also maintains a local collection of videotapes, cassettes, records, and talking books for borrowers and computers available to the public. Hailey Public Library has a 22,000 volume book collection also offering interlibrary loan services.

A selection of licensed day care centers and preschools provide facilities for families with young children. Eight preschools operate in the valley with many offering extended day care. Summer youth activities are also offered throughout the valley sponsored by the Blaine County Recreational District, City of Ketchum, and many others.

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